Scantec’s Engineering team actively work on projects providing talent solutions - temporary and permanent staff, for national and international operators, Consultants and Contractors of all sizes.
Here in the UK within General Manufacturing alone, it is an industry with 2.7 million employees and the UK is currently the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world. Manufacturing plays an important part of the UK economy, with the industry making up 11% of UK gross value added, 44% of total UK exports and 70% of business R&D.
The Office for National Statistics attributes the sustained growth of UK Manufacturing to a better quality, more skilled workforce, a shift in production from low to high productivity goods, improvements in automation and technology, increased investment in R&D, and a more integrated global economy.
Aside from General Manufacturing, Engineers are also required in many other sectors including Defence, Nuclear, Power, Oil, Gas, & Petrochemical. Within these industries, emerging markets, globalisation, advancing technologies and improved efficiencies now require a continued flow of highly skilled Engineers in the sector.
Typical Engineering Roles we Recruit
The Engineering team at Scantec has been delivering recruitment solutions and talent into the industry since 1990. There are a wide range of roles across the manufacturing and engineering industry that we recruit including:
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Project Management,
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Mechanical Engineering,
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EC&I Engineering (Electrical, Control and Instrumentation)
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Quality Engineers,
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Process Engineers,
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HSE Engineers
Engineering Skills Shortages
Within the overall Engineering sector, skills are in demand and in short supply in particular across Safety and Process engineering, partly due to a historic lack of investment in STEM education and training.
According to ‘The Manufacturer’ Annual Manufacturing Report for 2020, UK manufacturers are facing the largest shortage of skilled workers since 1989 with many citing this shortfall as their biggest challenge.
The Power, Nuclear and Utilities sectors also face growing demand for people as an ageing workforce is creating major issues for recruiting and is driving demand for skills in the industry.
The most sought after applicants are typically new graduates or those with 3 – 5 years experience.
Pathways into the profession
If you have strong skills in numeracy, science or technology, a career in engineering may be right for you. Other soft skills required in the profession are problem solving skills, an interest in how things work along with good communication and teamworking skills.
In order to become an Engineer, there are several routes you can take but in most cases, you will need to study and work towards a professional qualification. The type of qualification you will need will depend on the role you are wishing to pursue but University degrees (BEng) where you can gain Chartered status or discipline specific HND/ HNC’s that you can study at college are a good place to start. It is also possible to gain experience through an apprenticeship which many large organisations offer or you can work towards becoming a time served engineer.
Typical starting salaries
Starting salaries within Engineering can vary dependant on the job role and level of qualification but often start from £28,000 - £30,000 a year which is above average for most graduate roles.
Progression within the Engineering Profession
As an Engineer, there is the opportunity to progress your career with steps up to Senior and Management level roles. The engineering industry favours people who are prepared to undertake further study and training to advance their careers, especially as it is an evolving industry with increasing automation and digitalisation. Many companies are also having to devise courses for retraining and upskilling workers as jobs are changing through automation to improve their digital skills for the future.
Why work in the Engineering Sector?
The UK has one of the largest manufacturing industries in the world and a history of being at the forefront of innovation (the lightbulb, telephone, television and the electric motor all originated in the UK!) Careers in this sector are financially rewarding, diverse, and there are clear opportunities for progression and skills development.
For more information on the Engineering roles our team at Scantec recruit, or if you are an experienced Engineer considering your next career move, then click here to learn more or contact one of our team.
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